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How can anyone resist a recipe for something called Fat Rascals?! Fat Rascals are a traditional Yorkshire treat. They are affectionately known in our family just as “Rascals”. They are fat though. They are an interesting cross between a rock cake and a scone and the flavour is reminiscent of Hot Cross Buns.
In my opinion, Fat Rascals are one of the best walking snacks ever. When pocket space is limited, just one will happily divide up between myself and two hungry children. We also frequently have these for after school snacks. Fat Rascals are cheeky and deceptive as you might expect from their name. They feel heavy and are robust enough to travel well. They are rather filling but they have a gorgeous texture, not dense at all.
They are superb eaten warm from the oven and spread with slightly salted butter, accompanied by strong tea. Indeed, in our recent unseasonally cold weather, my walking rucksack was usually filled with a Fat Rascal and small flask of tea. So incredibly easy and cheap to make and quick to bake, they are a fantastic “stand-by”.
Poor Mango would love to eat a Fat Rascal, she adores the smell of them baking and gazes longingly at them through the glass oven door. Do remember though that sultanas and raisins are poisonous to dogs. Some dogs can become incredibly unwell after eating just a small amount. So don’t be tempted to give in to those pleading puppy eyes!
Betty’s Tearooms in Harrogate are famous for their version of Fat Rascals and their recipe is a well- guarded secret. There are many recipes for Fat Rascals available and I have tried a fair few with variable success. But my recipe is adapted from that of Angela Dracup’s. I first saw it via Trisha Ashley’s novel “Chocolate Shoes and Wedding Blues” where Trisha’s main character baked them in the novel. This recipe is an adaptation of that recipe with a rather different method that speeds things up and just a couple of other small tweaks. I hope that you enjoy them and that they become a firm family favourite in your house too.
These quantities make 4 Fat Rascals. I often double up to make 8. They are at their best when they are fresh from the oven but still Scrummy 2 days later.
Ingredients
200g self raising flour
0.25 tsp each of mixed spice, grated nutmeg and ground cinnamon
75g slightly salted butter
75g golden caster sugar
75g currants
75g mixed dried fruit with cut peel
1 large egg
2 tbsp milk
Oven
Pre-heat the oven to 200C (180C Fan)/ Gas Mark 6
Tin
A baking tray lined with baking parchment or an unlined stoneware tray
Method
1. Place the flour and butter in a food processor and whizz until it is the texture of fine breadcrumbs. If you don’t have a food processor just use the traditional “rubbing in” method.
2. Add the sugar and spices and whizz briefly to mix.
3. Pour the flour/ butter/ sugar/ spices mix into a large bowl.
4. Stir in the currants and mixed fruit.
5. Lightly beat the egg with the milk and add to the mixture.
6. Stir in the egg, initially using a wooden spoon or spatula and then use your hands to bring the mixture together into a dough. Don’t knead the dough, treat it like a scone mix, just bringing the ingredients together until no little bits are left in the bowl.
7. Using your hands, divide the dough into 4 and shape each piece into roughly round, slightly flattened shapes. They don’t have to be precise- this is hearty, rustic fare not French patisserie!
8. Bake in the centre of the oven for 15- 20 minutes.
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